Track-fastener.



Patented Mar. 5, l90l. 0. L. DURBORAW. TRACK FASTENEIKI.

ication filed Oct. 26, 1900.

written STATES Aren't Erica.

CHARLES Ii. DURHORANV, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- Y HALF TO FREDERICK I-IENKELMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

TRACK-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent N 0. 669,077, dated March 5, 1901. 1

Application filed October 26, 1900. Serial N0.34,404. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern: ing the said rails in their proper relative po- Beitknown that LCHARLES L. DURBORAW, sition. In the rear of the spike 1 is a groove a citizen of the United States, residing at Bal- 4, which extends downward from the head timore, in the State of Maryland, have inthereof for about two-thirds thelength of the 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements spike, at which point it branches off into two in lrack-Fasteners, of which the following is grooves 5, which latter extend outwardly to a specification. the side of the said spike. The side walls of This invention relates to an improvement the said groove 4 converge outwardly, as in track-fastei'lers for railroads, and is espeshown in Fig. 3, to hold the key 6 therein. A 1o cially adapted for use on curves and other bifurcated key 6 is provided to fit within the parts of the road where there is a tendency to groove 4 of the spike 1. The sides 7 of the spread the rails. said key are beveled to correspond to the side One object of the invention is to provide a walls of the groove 4. When the said key 6 device that can be driven into the cross-tie is fitted within the groove 4, the outersurface 15 the same as the usual spike and which when of the key is flush with the back surface of driven therein will be securely held by means the spike. of a key, which latter will prevent the device When it is desired to secure the rail to the from being forced upward or drawn out from cross-tie, the spike l is driven into the latter the cross-tie without first removing the key, until the head thereof rests upon the lower 20 whereby the rails will be securely held and flange of the rail. The key 6 is then placed prevented from spreading. into the groove 4 and pushed down until it A further object of the invention is to so occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, with construct the device that it will offer agreater the points 8 resting in the grooves 5. The resistance to any sidewise movement of the key is then driven down by striking on the 25 rails, and thereby securely hold the latter in top, whereupon the points 8 of the key will the proper relative position. be forced apart out through the grooves 5 The details of construction of the inveninto the cross-tie, thereby securely locking tion will be hereinafter more fully described, the spike in position against the rail. At the and What I regard as new will be defined in top of the key 6 is a lug 9, by means of which 30 the claims. the said key may be withdrawn from the In the drawings forming part of this specispike. fication, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the When it is desired to remove the spike for spike with the key partly inserted in the the purpose of replacing the rail with a new groove at the rear of the spike. Fig. 2 is a one, the key 6 is first withdrawn by means of 5 rear elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a cross-see a suitable tool placed under the head 9 theretion on the line X X of Fig. 2, the key being of. Afterthe key has been removed the spike removed therefrom; and Fig. 4 is a perspec- 1 can then be withdrawn in the usual manner. tive View of my invention applied to a cross- It will thus be seen that when the spike and tie and rail. key are secured in position, as shown in Fig. 40 Similar numerals refer to like and corre- 4, the device can only be removed by extraspending parts throughout the several views. ordinary force. I

In the accompanyingdrawings, ldesignates Having thus described my invention, what a spike, having the usual head 2, which rests I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters upon the rail when applied to the cross-tie, Patent, is 5 45 as shown in Fig. 4. Projecting from oppo- 1. Atrack-fastener for railroads consisting site sides of the spike 1 are beveled lugs 3, of a spike having lugs projecting from oppothe lower edges of which are sharp enough to site sides thereof, and a groove in the rear, cut into the cross-tie when the spike is driven and a key fitted within the said groove and down against the rail. These lugs 3 prevent projecting from the side or sides of the said 50 any sidewise movement of the spike, and conspike, the outer surface of the said key being sequently of the rails, thereby securely holdflush with the back of the spike.

2. A track-fastener for railroads consisting of a spike having a groove in the rear thereof, said groove branching oft" to the opposite sides of the said spike, and a bifurcated key fitted within the said groove and having the points thereof projecting from opposite sides of the said spike, the outer surfaces of the said key being flush with the back of the spike.

3, A track-fastener for railroads consisting of a spike having a groove therein, the side walls of which converge outwardly, the said groove having a branch extending to oppo site sides of the said spike, and a key having 

